It is well with my soul

It Is Well
"It Is Well With My Soul"
Posted by NewSpring Worship on Tuesday, 29 September 2015

Loved this song performed by the NewSpring Team and my friend Lee McDerment

Our scars are a sign of grace in our lives,
And Father how you brought us through
When deep were the wounds and
dark was the Night the promise of Your love You proved. Now every battle still to come let this be our song.

Chorus
It is well, with my soul,
It is well, it is well with my soul

Verse 2
Weeping may come, remain for a night
but joy will paint the morning sky
You're there in the fast, You're there in the Feast
Your faithfulness will always shine
Now every battle still to come let this be our song.

Bridge
You lead us through battles,
You lead us to blessing,
And You make us fruitful,
In the land of our suffering God
And it is well, it is well With my soul

Matt Redman - It Is Well With My Soul Lyrics

When God's will equals suffering

Ex fisherman, eager but flawed follower of Jesus, then elder statesman of the church, late in life, takes some time out to encourage fellow believers who are facing difficulty & suffering.

Tucked away in his letter known as First Peter we find some very surprising advice on a christian response to suffering. Ch 4:12-19.

It ends with these shocking words:

Therefore let those who suffer according to God’s will entrust their souls to a faithful Creator while doing good. v 19

It would seem that at least some suffering we go through can actually be God's will for us! And in the middle of that suffering Peter's advice is to trust the one who's will is it for us to suffer. And in the middle of that suffering, not to be crushed by it but to keep doing good. None of that seems natural.

Here are some thoughts on this small challenging passage of scripture

1. Often suffering can be a test v12. Often we can ask where is God in our suffering but maybe the better question is where are we? Where is our faith?
2. We are not only to endure suffering but to rejoice in suffering v13.
3. When we suffer for Christ the God has never been closer to you than in that moment v14
4. Not all suffering is God's will, often we bring it on ourselves because of a direct result of our sin. v15
5. The antidote to this type of suffering is not endurance or rejoicing but repentance. v17
6. Suffering as a direct result of being a Christian is not marked by shame but by glory. v16
7. Faith is needed in the middle of suffering, not particularly faith to get out of it but faith to trust your creator God to bring glory to his name by transforming us through it. v19

_____ In Christ

During our series Amplify at MKCC we are taking some time to walk through our core values. This week Pastor Mark talked to us about:

We're Moving Towards Maturity 

We have made an intentional decision to grow up in Christ.

Here are some of the things that hit me from his message:

• Maturity is all about being IN CHRIST, Walking in Christ, Rooted in Christ & Being Built up in Christ.


• I guarantee that if you will build Gods house he will build your house


• Don't just add Jesus to your life place him at the centre and keep your eyes focused on him


• Don't let your love for the doing the work of God replace your love for God alone


• Through life we will walk through difficulties, trials, problems & more but as Christians we walk IN CHRIST


• If you were arrested as a christian would their be enough evidence to convict you


• Cut flowers look great in a vase in the house but they won't last because they have no roots, we have to be rooted in Christ


• Some people build their lives around things close to Christ but not Christ. Some people build their lives around worship. They live to reach that ecstatic moment and are not fulfilled if it is not reached. Others around prayer or fasting. These things may bring us to Christ but they are not Christ. 

Taking the lonely out of leadership - No. 1 Relationship

I recently posted 10 ways to take the loneliness out of leadership. Here I'd like to dive into the first: Putting our relationship with God at No. 1.

Bill Hybels once said that, his work for God was killing the work of God in him.

I am sure that almost every church leader understands that feeling. For a workaholic like me, who sees much of his worth in what he does rather than who he is, this can be a real danger.

I have come to believe, as a church leader, I can pretend that I have relationship with God when I really haven't. I may be working extremely had for him but have a defective relationship. Some signs of this:

• The only time God's word is read is to prepare for a sermon.
• We pray much more in public that we do in private.
• We challenge others to a way of life but never really challenge ourselves.
• The stories we share about ourselves to encourage others all happened a decade ago rather than last week.
• We can't remember the last time we shed a tear over a life God has entrusted to our leadership
• We start to think we are to be served by people rather than to serve them.

As leaders we have to be careful that we live in close relationship with Jesus and not fall into the trap of a second hand relationship. Job prayed it this way:

I admit I once lived by rumours of you; now I have it all firsthand—from my own eyes and ears! I’m sorry—forgive me. I’ll never do that again, I promise! I’ll never again live on crusts of hearsay, crumbs of rumour. - Job 42 (Mess)

Some practical steps:

• Revisit and savour your salvation moment often. (remember your first love)


• Read God's Word often and regularly not in study or preparation. Not to hear God's voice for others but to hear the sweet intimate whisper of your ultimate and eternal lover - Jesus.


• Be less concerned about the transformation of others but beg the Holy Spirit to challenge and transform you as you apply His word to your life.


• Talk to God regularly and often. Build time into your diary that moves for nothing, but don't leave it there. Practise the presence of God (as one saint put it) in your daily routine, just between you and him.


• The idea of a Sabbath is old hat to many and if it is thought about, it is as a day of rest. But I like how John Piper puts it: "It means set the day aside for special focus on what is holy, namely, God and his holy works. For us church leaders it is unlikely going to work for us on Sundays. We can't afford to not build this into our lives!

Relationship dispels loneliness and relationship with Jesus really is the ultimate fix!